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DAN LEWIS FOR MAYOR

CRIME CONTROL PLAN

LEWISABQ.COM
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DECLARING WAR ON CRIME
We have a war being waged against us in the City of Albuquerque.
And were not winning.

The lives of our families and safety of our homes, businesses, and vehicles
are constantly at an exceptionally high risk of being victimized by violent and
uncontrolled criminals and gangs.

Dangerous is the word that too often comes to mind when people think of
Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our City is actually being defined by criminals whose
careers have made us a crossroad of violent crime and the nations capital for
auto thefts.

Just a few weeks ago, under the headline Albuquerque tops list of Hot Spots for
car theft, a major national newspaper warned the public:

If youre planning to get your kicks with a road trip down Route 66 this
summer, keep an eye on your car if you spend the night in Albuquerque
the New Mexico city has the highest rate of automobile thefts per capita in
the USA.

Albuquerque loses millions of dollars in business and goodwill because of our reputation as a dangerous city. I was
stunned to view the Citys 2017 marketing and promotional video and see portrayed an Albuquerque that may have
looked and sounded good in the film, while the dangerous reality we are facing on our streets tells a much different
story.

No public relations campaign or promotional marketing can honestly improve the publics perception of our City and
its national reputation until we choose new leadership that will finally confront head-on the public safety and law
enforcement crisis that continues to define us as an unsafe and dangerous place to visit, do business, or live in.

It would be beating a dead horse to go into much detail describing how the Citys current administration has failed
time and again to correctly quantify and get out in front of clear systemic problems in a city defined by criminals
and which overshadows the honorable work of our good police officers.

New, clear-eyed leadership, re-defining our City to the world through aggressive, measurable goals and the best
law enforcement recruitment and training, is required to navigate the corner-turning needed to heal Albuquerques
reputation and make our city a safe and healthy destination for companies to open businesses and a community in
which families can confidently make their home.

We will make Albuquerque the worst place to be a criminal. We will stop nothing short of making our City
the most unwelcome place for those who break into our homes, steal our property, and wreak havoc on our
Citys neighborhoods.

We can and will turn things around and right side up when it comes to policing and public safety in our City. Our
Turnaround Plan demonstrates both an understanding of the brutal truth about the problem of crime in our City, and
the specific solutions needed to tackle them.

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THE TURNAROUND PLAN
TOP PRIORITIES:
HONESTY AND TRUTH-TELLING
My administration will be honest and truthful with our citizens, and re-establish the publics trust in
those--beginning with the mayorwho are sworn to serve and protect the people who live in and visit
our City.

We will redefine transparency in Albuquerque and at APD in particular. Telling the truth starts with not
hiding the truth. The City and APD has made a habit of illegally withholding information the public has
a legal right to know, and it has cost taxpayers many hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay the
court costs of those who had to sue the City to force the release of information that shouldve been
made available at the outset. That bad and illegal habit ends upon my inauguration as mayor.

ETHICAL AND EFFECTIVE POLICING


My goal is nothing less than to establish and develop the most ethical and effective Public Safety
Department in the United States.

FAIR AND ACCOUNTABLE JUDGES


We will expose the correctable weaknesses in our Criminal Justice System by holding accountable
those elected judges who repeatedly endanger our City by prematurely returning to our streets to
await their trial date, violent, repeat criminals who simply pick up where they left off before being
captured again and again by our police. Such misguided judicial decisions at least compounds the
likelihood of harm to innocent people and the police who have to risk their lives again re-arresting the
same repeat offenders.

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OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC RECORDS AND INFORMATION
I am committed to radically change how our City government, particularly APD, approaches being
transparent with the people they are to serve and respect. We will redefine Transparency, a word
that brings yawns to the public by being so over-used and abused by agencies at every level of
government, despite laws on the books mandating it and a public that demands and expects it.

In New Mexico, we have the Inspection of Public Records Act - IPRA - a state law that affirms
that we the people own the information - written, recorded, and videoed - that is created by
government agencies in the course of performing their duties, including law enforcement. And that,
except for a few necessary legal exceptions, agencies responding to IPRA requests should err on
the side of disclosing, not withholding, records the people rightly expect to access and obtain. That
was the goal of IPRA. As Mayor, I will make that goal the policy of the City of Albuquerque, and my
administrations directors and department managers will implement the requirements of the law or
risk their jobs not doing so.

IPRA will not be used or abused to unnecessarily delay or withhold


information the public pays to produce.

THE TURNAROUND PLAN


KEY ACTIONS:
COMPENSATION. Promptly implement an aggressive and unprecedented increase of officer pay.

RECRUITMENT. A nationwide recruiting surge to attract first-year and lateral police officers.

EXPERT MANAGEMENT. A national search for the best Police Chief Albuquerque can find.

NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING. Where police serve as peace officers, not just enforcers of the law.

FASTER EMERGENCY RESPONSE. Work with the County to create a joint ABQ/Bernalillo County
professional police and fire emergency dispatch center.

BEYOND DOJ. Completing and complying with the Court Approved Settlement Agreement
(CASA) and then sending DOJ back to Washington.

JUDGING THE JUDGES. Holding accountable the career criminals and the broken criminal
justice system that coddles them.

ZERO TOLERANCE. An aggressive and unprecedented policy of strict enforcement of the law for
all crimes that injure people and their property.

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HOW WELL TURN IT AROUND
THE DETAILS:
FULLY STAFF AND BACK THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT

Higher Pay. It should be no surprise that jumps in ABQs crime rates have swelled at the same
time the number of trained police officers protecting our streets have dramatically decreased. A
fully staffed APD begins with aggressively increasing base pay for first-year officers, officers at
5+ years, and Sergeants and Lieutenants. I will immediately propose a $15 million dollar increase
to APD for officer pay and begin negotiations with the ABQ Police Officers Association (APOA).
We will work to keep veteran officers from retiring before 20 years and give good veteran officers
the incentive to complete 25 years of service.

Lateral Hires. We will implement an immediate recruiting surge to hire the best lateral officers
from around the nation. APD has one of the best-funded and most generous pensions in
the nation in PERA. Many good officers nationwide are losing their pensions. The Dallas Police
Department, as just one example, is losing hundreds of officers because their retirement system
is failing. Among many other qualified candidates, we will recruit the best of Dallas officers to
come to Albuquerque, much like the Austin, TX Police Department did when they recruited about
one hundred Memphis, TN officers in less than a year because their pensions were significantly
cut. With the help of signing bonuses, we will recruit only the best of these officers to attend a
lateral academy and quickly have them protecting the streets of Albuquerque.

First-Year Hires. We will aggressively recruit new officers with offers that include incentives such
as signing bonuses, student loan assistance, and help with home down-payments.

Neighborhood Presence. I will ensure that at least 60% of APDs sworn officers are in field
services, dedicated to patrolling our neighborhoods. Officers in marked units will be visible in
every neighborhood responding promptly to calls.

More Detectives.

I will ensure that at least 30% of APDs sworn officers staff the detective bureau. Without exception,
Detectives must be working cases and regularly testifying in court to justify their position.

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FULLY STAFF AND BACK THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT (CONT)

We will also increase the staffing of detective units investigating sex crimes, crimes against children,
homicide, burglary, robbery, larceny, and white collar crimes. Uniformed officers will arrive to calls quicker
and detectives will ensure that cases are investigated promptly and thoroughly.

Detectives will also attend arraignments and bond hearings to testify when appropriate why some
offenders should be jailed without bond or only released with higher bonds. Judges want detectives in
their courtrooms and we will have them there.

Command Staff. I will ensure that no more than 5% of the department will be command staff
and 5% will be performing recruitment, retention, and training. APD will become one of the very
best-trained departments in the nation.

More Police Cruisers. Every uniformed officer (911 first responders in all ranks) will be provided
a fully marked and equipped police vehicle.

Zero Tolerance. There will not be a mandatory quota for tickets, but we will demand strict
enforcement of all traffic violations, including drag racing, aggressive and reckless driving,
speeding, tailgating, running red lights and stop signs, and driving under the influence. Uniform
officers will be writing deserved citations.

State-of-the-Art Police Training. APD will become one of the best-trained departments in the
nation. Officers and detectives will train to consistently perform excellent police work, exonerating
the innocent and holding the guilty accountable.

Enhanced Support Staff. APD will increase civilian support staff so sworn officers have the
professional assistance they need when they need it.

Leading from the Front. The DOJ reforms have put an undue burden on officers, have created
an environment where they are reluctant to perform their duty, and have deepened their mistrust
of their leadership. The negative relationship with the DOJ was brought about because of the
failed leadership, bunker mentality, and increasing defensiveness of the current administration.
With new leadership, we will lead the reform effort from the front, not be dragged along by the
courts and the DOJ. We will rapidly complete compliance with the CASA, and say so long to the
DOJ.

Whats good for APD should be good for DOJ. I will remove APD officers from DOJs federal
tasks forces until they comply with the same CASA requirements APD officers have to comply
with. Until the DOJ requires their own officers to do what it requires of our officers, we will not
assign APD officers to their task forces.

Enhanced Emergency Dispatch. We will work with the Bernalillo County Commissioners,
the Bernalillo County Sheriff, and the Bernalillo County Fire Department to collaborate with
Albuquerques police and fire departments to establish a unified professional dispatch center. At
any moment, we should mutually know where every emergency response asset and personnel
are within the City and County so we can work efficiently to rapidly respond to emergency calls
as quickly and effectively as possible.

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NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING BY KEEPERS OF THE PEACE

Getting to Know You. Neighborhood policing starts with having enough officers on the beat
and enough detectives to investigate crime. We will have officers who know every corner of our
City, performing shoe-leather policing and becoming a critical part of the neighborhoods they
serve. APD officers will be keepers of the peace and ambassadors for our great City, not just law
enforcers. People in our City can be confident when they need help, to look to the man or woman
behind an APD badge.

End Wasteful Duplication. APD will not continue to duplicate the effort of Albuquerque Public
Schools (APS) police. That means, APD will not have an officer sitting with an APS officer at area
schools. It does mean that the beat cop for those schools will be required to stop by the school at
least weekly. Officers will talk to the students, teachers, principals, and parents and see if they have
issues we can assist with, or to just make their presence known.

Mentor Budding Police Officers. As we hire more officers, APD will create a middle school
mentorship program taught by APD recruiters for youth throughout Albuquerque. APD will have
enough officers that beat cops and detectives and even command staff officers will be able to
devote some of their workweek to mentoring our middle school kids. With cooperation from APS,
this could become a high school class credit program (like ROTC) for those students who want to
become, or start their law enforcement career as, Police Service Aides.

Cooperation Means a Safer Albuquerque. APD will continue to cooperate and work with all
appropriate federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Cooperation is important to making
and keeping our City safe.

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A RESPECTED AND TRUSTED APD

Earning Respect. No police personnel will be above the rules and policies at APD, and the chief
and his staff will be held accountable to the highest standards of ethics and transparency.

Impartial Discipline. If an infraction is committed by a command level officer, the chief and the
Citys Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) must each independently review the investigation to make
sure there is no favoritism.

APD Career Advancement. I will revamp the promotion system to ensure that APD advances
the best, smartest, and most deserving police officers to higher ranks. We must have a promotion
system based upon leadership skills, knowledge of police work, and work history.

24-Hour Hotline. I will establish a third-party managed, confidential reporting system for APD
employees who wish to anonymously blow the whistle on suspected violations of the departments
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and the Citys ethics code.

Tell the Truth. Revamp the SOP to ensure untruthfulness will not be tolerated at any rank.

Obey the Rules. I will require the chief to submit LEA 90 Certification (Officer Misconduct) reviews
on officers (of any rank) to monitor APDs compliance with the disciplinary standards required
under New Mexico Law (Chapter 10 NMAC 29.1.11.2). This is a New Mexico statutory requirement and
the chief will have no discretion in its enforcement and will be held accountable for failure to do so.

New Media. APD will fully embrace social media as a way to communicate with our community
but it will not be used to attack anyone or misrepresent issues. It will strictly be used to provide
information the community should know. Social media will be used in concert with traditional media
to help APD reach out to the public.

Policing the Police. The funding and staff of the Citizen Police Oversight Agency (CPOA)will be
increased so that all citizen complaints on police officers will be reviewed and, where necessary,
be investigated by the CPOA. This will ensure the people are being heard and action is being taken
on their specific complaints. I will work with the APOA to ensure officer rights are protected. Internal
investigations will still be handled by APD Internal Affairs.

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A RESPECTED AND TRUSTED APD (CONT)

My Duty as Mayor. The voters elect a mayor who they expect will efficiently manage every
aspect of our City, and that includes APD. With a new Police Chief who the rank and file respects
and follows, the mayor will not need to micro manage the department. Make no mistake, however,
the buck stops with the mayor. The citizens are not electing a mayor to simply let their police
department run on its own. To a large extent, this is what has nearly paralyzed APD in recent
years. At the end of the day, it is my duty and responsibility and I will not hesitate to step in when
necessary.

Highest Ethical Standards. All police officers will reflect the highest ethical standards, including:

1. Loyalty to their oath to fairly enforce the laws and maintain the public peace.

2. Loyalty to our citizens, no matter their status, race, gender, or religion. All must be treated fairly.

3. Loyalty to their department and City. Officers will be held accountable for their actions that may
embarrass or damage the reputation of the department and our City.

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FIXING OUR BROKEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

The Problem. Albuquerque is racked by a broken criminal justice system where dangerous, repeat
offenders are regularly released from jail - often only hours after their arrest. I will keep my sworn duty
to protect the public as my highest priority.

A Major Cause of the Problem. In 2014, there were over 3,000 inmates in the Metro Detention Center.
Now, there are less than 1,100. What happens when you let over 2,000 people out of jail? Crime in our
City has nowhere to go but up. The data clearly shows a direct correlation between reductions in the
MDCs population and the increase of crime in our City.

Restoring Sanity and Safety. Recently, a massive effort to reform the criminal court system has led to
unintended consequences where some judges do not appropriately evaluate the pre-trial risks of some
criminals. These decisions have now effectively frozen the bail bond industry that previously helped law
enforcement hold criminals accountable, and been replaced with questionable programs such as Pre-
trial Services where no one is actually held accountable for decisions that send violent criminals back
into our community while they await their trial dates.

Because of quirks in the pre-trial services grading system, many who are charged with crimes, even
violent ones, are somehow found by the courts to be low-level, non-violent risks. These dangerous
policies and decisions by judges have led to an unprecedented number of repeat and habitual
offenders let back out on to the streets of our City, committing more crimes and wreaking havoc in our
neighborhoods.

Helping the Prosecutors do their Job. As Mayor, I will hold this broken criminal court system
accountable for decisions that endanger our people. To that end, we will work with the District Attorney
to clear the bottlenecks slowing our police departments submission of evidence the D.A.s office needs
to bring cases to trial.

Were the Ones Who Pick em. Interestingly, many Albuquerque citizens may not know or remember
that it is the voters who elect these judges through the ballot box. Unfortunately, in too many cases,
some judges give in to their personal preferences when making certain decisions. When we disagree
with their often-inexplicable decisions, ultimately it is only the voters, we the people, who can hold
these jurists accountable. Or not.

Judging the Judges. To help our voters know which judges are deciding what, my administration will
develop a simple scorecard by which voters can judge the judges on their decisions to either release
to the streets, or keep jailed until trial, dangerous and repeat criminals.

Holding them Accountable. The people can, should, and when Im mayor, will have a tracking system
to hold judges accountable for decisions that continue to mean the difference between harm or safety,
and life or death, for many of our families, neighbors, and police officers.

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GENUINE OVERSIGHT TO PROTECT BOTH CITIZENS AND POLICE

Treat the People like they were the Boss. Because They Are. Civilian oversight is crucial to ensure
that policies and officers are reviewed fairly and openly in a way that supports officers and serves
citizens. The citizen is the ultimate boss of all public servants, the mayor included. I will work with citizen
groups and the APOA to fix problems with the police oversight ordinance and to ensure fairness for
both citizens and officers. The Citizen Police Oversight Board (CPOB) should be even more empowered
to investigate and recommend discipline, with the Chief of Police making and explaining the final
determination.

As Mayor, I will maintain an open dialogue and a responsive relationship with the CPOB.

The CPOB will have access to valuable data to help detect patterns of abuse and work to solve them
before they become systemic problems.

The CPOB will not have to conduct information discovery through back channels or unnecessarily
wait for requested information from APD. The Chief will promptly provide the CPOB responses to
Board member questions, and regular reports on discipline, rulemaking, and standard operating
procedures.

The CPOB will have a real and legitimate seat at the table to develop policy. The City ordinance
requires that the board spend 51% of its time on policy. To help achieve that target, I will bring the
POB into the discussion with the DOJ and the reform effort. Standard operating procedures will be
reviewed by the Board before finalized.

Though the CPOB is funded by a percentage of APDs budget, it still has not had sufficient funding to
accomplish what the Ordinance requires of it. My new budget will prioritize the CPOB to receive the
resources it needs to function.

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